Archive for the ‘Information Returns’ Category

Is It January 9th Yet?

Friday, January 20th, 2023

Last year, the IRS announced a new system for efiling 1099s (and other information returns) called IRIS.  This system would be available for both professionals and individuals (and businesses) to efile 1099s.  The system was supposed to be available on January 9th.  On January 9th the webpage noted, “…[Y]ou can log in to IRIS starting mid-January 2023.”  Well, today is January 20th and the system still isn’t available.

(I do need to note you must have an IRS IRIS Transmitter Control Code (TCC) to use IRIS.  You can apply for one via a link on the IRIS webpage.)

The deadline for mailing most information returns remains January 31st–and that’s 21 days away.  We are back using the IRS FIRE system (this system is not available to the general public) for one more year as it appears we have no options.  There are many services you can find that will file 1099s, but we have batches of 1099s for our clients that need filing.

Perhaps the original announcement of the IRIS system was correct: the IRS simply didn’t note which year the system would be up on.  After all, there’s a January 9th in 2024, too.

UPDATE: The IRS’s IRIS system went live earlier this week.

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Posted in Information Returns, IRS | Comments Closed

It’s Time to Generate 2021 1099s

Tuesday, January 4th, 2022

It’s time for businesses to send out their annual information returns. These are the Form 1099s that are sent to to vendors when required. Let’s look first at who does not have to receive 1099s:

  • Corporations (except attorneys)
  • Entities you purchased tangible goods from
  • Entities you purchased less than $600 from (except royalties; the limit there is $10)
  • Where you would normally have to send a 1099 but you made payment by a credit or debit card

Otherwise, you need to send a Form 1099 to the vendor. The best way to check whether or not you need to send a 1099 to a vendor is to know this before you pay a vendor’s invoice. I tell my clients that they should have each vendor complete a Form W-9 before they pay the vendor. You can then enter the vendor’s taxpayer identification number into your accounting software (along with whether or not the vendor is exempt from 1099 reporting) on an ongoing basis.

Form 1099-NECs have a filing deadline of January 31, 2022 (for reporting 2021 nonemployee compensation). Form 1099-MISCs are used for all other 1099 reporting except interest, dividends, capital gains, etc. Payments of rent, royalties, advertising, crop insurance proceeds, substitute payments in lieu of dividends, attorney proceeds, other income (including gambling winnings not reportable on a Form W-2G), and nonqualified deferred compensation are just some of the items reported on a Form 1099-MISC.

Remember that besides the 1099 sent to the vendor, a copy goes to the IRS. If you file by paper, you likely do not have to file Form 1099-MISC with your state tax agency (that’s definitely the case in California). However, if you file 1099s electronically with the IRS you most likely will also need to file them electronically with your state tax agency (again, that’s definitely the case in California). It’s a case where paper filing might be easier than electronic filing.

IMPORTANT: The IRS is not sending Form 1099-NECs to state tax agencies. Thus, if you have a state filing requirement for your Forms 1099-NEC, you must separately file this with your state tax agency.

If you wish to file paper 1099s, you must order the forms from the IRS. The forms cannot be downloaded off the Internet. Make sure you also order Form 1096 from the IRS. This is a cover page used when submitting information returns (such as 1099s) to the IRS.

Note also that sole proprietors fall under the same rules for sending out 1099s. Let’s say you’re a professional gambler, and you have a poker coach that you paid $650 to last year. You must send him or her a Form 1099-NEC. Poker players who “swap” shares or have backers also fall under the 1099 filing requirement (issuing form 1099-MISC).

Remember, the deadline for submitting 1099-NECs for “Nonemployee Compensation” (e.g. independent contractors) to the IRS is now at the end of January: Those 1099s must be filed by Monday, January 31st.

Here are the deadlines for 2021 information returns:

  • Monday, January 31st: Deadline for mailing most 1099s to recipients (postmark deadline);
  • Monday, January 31st: Deadline for submitting 1099-NECs for Nonemployee Compensation to IRS;
  • Monday, February 28th: Deadline for filing other paper 1099s with the IRS (postmark deadline);
  • Tuesday, March 15th: Deadline for mailing and filing Form 1042-S; and
  • Thursday, March 31st: Deadline for filing other 1099s electronically with the IRS.

Remember, if you are going to mail 1099s to the IRS send them certified mail, return receipt requested so that you have proof of the filing.

Also note that most 1099s must be mailed to recipients. Mail means the postal service, not email. The main exception to this is if the recipient has agreed in writing to receiving the 1099 electronically. I consider this the IRS’s means of trying to keep the Post Office in business.

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Posted in Information Returns, IRS | Comments Closed

It’s Time to Generate 2020 1099s

Wednesday, January 6th, 2021

It’s time for businesses to send out their annual information returns. These are the Form 1099s that are sent to to vendors when required. Let’s look first at who does not have to receive 1099s:

  • Corporations (except attorneys)
  • Entities you purchased tangible goods from
  • Entities you purchased less than $600 from (except royalties; the limit there is $10)
  • Where you would normally have to send a 1099 but you made payment by a credit or debit card

Otherwise, you need to send a Form 1099 to the vendor. The best way to check whether or not you need to send a 1099 to a vendor is to know this before you pay a vendor’s invoice. I tell my clients that they should have each vendor complete a Form W-9 before they pay the vendor. You can then enter the vendor’s taxpayer identification number into your accounting software (along with whether or not the vendor is exempt from 1099 reporting) on an ongoing basis.

This year will be the first year we’ll be using the new Form 1099-NEC to report nonemployee compensation instead of reporting this on Form 1099-MISC. Form 1099-NECs have a filing deadline of February 1, 2021 (for reporting 2020 nonemployee compensation). Form 1099-MISCs are used for all other 1099 reporting except interest, dividends, capital gains, etc. Payments of rent, royalties, advertising, crop insurance proceeds, substitute payments in lieu of dividends, attorney proceeds, other income (including gambling winnings not reporteable on a Form W-2G), and nonqualified deferred compensation are just some of the items reported on a Form 1099-MISC.

Remember that besides the 1099 sent to the vendor, a copy goes to the IRS. If you file by paper, you likely do not have to file Form 1099-MISC with your state tax agency (that’s definitely the case in California). However, if you file 1099s electronically with the IRS you most likely will also need to file them electronically with your state tax agency (again, that’s definitely the case in California). It’s a case where paper filing might be easier than electronic filing.

IMPORTANT: The IRS is not sending Form 1099-NECs to state tax agencies. Thus, if you have a state filing requirement for your Forms 1099-NEC, you must separately file this with your state tax agency.

If you wish to file paper 1099s, you must order the forms from the IRS. The forms cannot be downloaded off the Internet. Make sure you also order Form 1096 from the IRS. This is a cover page used when submitting information returns (such as 1099s) to the IRS. WARNING: It is taking the IRS months to fill these orders. We ordered our paper 1099s in October; we have yet to receive them. It is likely too late to order them from the IRS and meet the February 1st deadline. Most tax professionals have software that can file 1099s directly with the IRS and state tax agencies; there are also services you can find that will do this for you.

Note also that sole proprietors fall under the same rules for sending out 1099s. Let’s say you’re a professional gambler, and you have a poker coach that you paid $650 to last year. You must send him or her a Form 1099-NEC. Poker players who “swap” shares or have backers also fall under the 1099 filing requirement (issuing form 1099-MISC).

Remember, the deadline for submitting 1099-NECs for “Nonemployee Compensation” (e.g. independent contractors) to the IRS is now at the end of January (though we get an extra day this year, because the 31st falls on a weekend): Those 1099s must be filed by Monday, February 1st.

Here are the deadlines for 2020 information returns:

  • Monday, February 1st: Deadline for mailing most 1099s to recipients (postmark deadline);
  • Monday, February 1st: Deadline for submitting 1099-NECs for Nonemployee Compensation to IRS;
  • Monday, March 1st: Deadline for filing other paper 1099s with the IRS (postmark deadline);
  • Monday, March 15th: Deadline for mailing and filing Form 1042-S; and
  • Thursday, April 1st: Deadline for filing other 1099s electronically with the IRS.

Remember, if you are going to mail 1099s to the IRS send them certified mail, return receipt requested so that you have proof of the filing.

Also note that most 1099s must be mailed to recipients. Mail means the postal service, not email. The main exception to this is if the recipient has agreed in writing to receiving the 1099 electronically. I consider this the IRS’s means of trying to keep the Post Office in business.

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Posted in Information Returns, IRS | Comments Closed

It’s Time to Generate Those 2018 1099s

Tuesday, January 15th, 2019

It’s time for businesses to send out their annual information returns. These are the Form 1099s that are sent to to vendors when required. Let’s look first at who does not have to receive 1099s:

  • Corporations (except attorneys)
  • Entities you purchased tangible goods from
  • Entities you purchased less than $600 from (except royalties; the limit there is $10)
  • Where you would normally have to send a 1099 but you made payment by a credit or debit card

Otherwise, you need to send a Form 1099-MISC to the vendor. The best way to check whether or not you need to send a 1099 to a vendor is to know this before you pay a vendor’s invoice. I tell my clients that they should have each vendor complete a Form W-9 before they pay the vendor. You can then enter the vendor’s taxpayer identification number into your accounting software (along with whether or not the vendor is exempt from 1099 reporting) on an ongoing basis.

Remember that besides the 1099 sent to the vendor, a copy goes to the IRS. If you file by paper, you likely do not have to file with your state tax agency (that’s definitely the case in California). However, if you file 1099s electronically with the IRS you most likely will also need to file them electronically with your state tax agency (again, that’s definitely the case in California). It’s a case where paper filing might be easier than electronic filing.

If you wish to file paper 1099s, you must order the forms from the IRS. The forms cannot be downloaded off the Internet. Make sure you also order Form 1096 from the IRS. This is a cover page used when submitting information returns (such as 1099s) to the IRS.

Note also that sole proprietors fall under the same rules for sending out 1099s. Let’s say you’re a professional gambler, and you have a poker coach that you paid $650 to last year. You must send him or her a Form 1099-MISC. Poker players who “swap” shares or have backers also fall under the 1099 filing requirement.

Remember, the deadline for submitting 1099-MISCs for “Nonemployee Compensation” (e.g. independent contractors) to the IRS is now at the end of January: Those 1099s must be filed by Thursday, January 31st.

Here are the deadlines for 2018 information returns:

  • Thursday, January 31st: Deadline for mailing most 1099s to recipients (postmark deadline);
  • Thursday, January 31st: Deadline for submitting 1099-MISCs for Nonemployee Compensation to IRS;
  • Thursday, February 28th: Deadline for filing other paper 1099s with the IRS (postmark deadline);
  • Friday, March 15th: Deadline for mailing and filing Form 1042-S; and
  • Monday, April 1st: Deadline for filing other 1099s electronically with the IRS.

Remember, if you are going to mail 1099s to the IRS send them certified mail, return receipt requested so that you have proof of the filing.

Also note that most 1099s must be mailed to recipients. Mail means the postal service, not email. The main exception to this is if the recipient has agreed in writing to receiving the 1099 electronically. I consider this the IRS’s means of trying to keep the Post Office in business.

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Posted in Information Returns, IRS | Comments Closed

January 31st Tax Deadlines: 2016 Hurricane Extensions and Information Returns

Wednesday, January 24th, 2018

We’re one week away from the first tax deadline of the 2018 Tax Season along with the final tax deadline for filing 2016 tax returns.

Taxpayers on extension for filing 2016 tax returns because of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma or Maria have until next Wednesday, January 31st, to file their 2016 tax returns. Those tax returns can either be mailed, or beginning this coming Monday (January 29th) they can be electronically filed. This extension also holds for taxpayers impacted by the Northern California wildfires.

FBAR filers on extension because of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria have until next Wednesday, January 31st, to file their 2016 FBARs. Those returns must be efiled through the BSA efiling system. This extension also holds for taxpayers impacted by the Northern California wildfires.

The deadline for mailing out most 1099s to recipients is next Wednesday, January 31st. That’s a postmark deadline, not a receipt deadline.

The deadline for filing 1099-MISC’s showing “Nonemployee Compensation” (box 7) with the IRS is next Wednesday, January 31st. Those 1099s can either be mailed (if mailed, Form 1096 must be included as a cover page) or efiled (if you’re an authorized e-filer of information returns) through the IRS FIRE system.

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Posted in FINCEN, Information Returns, IRS | Comments Closed

It’s 1099 Time

Tuesday, January 9th, 2018

It’s time for businesses to send out their annual information returns. These are the Form 1099s that are sent to to vendors when required. Let’s look first at who does not have to receive 1099s:

  • Corporations (except attorneys)
  • Entities you purchased tangible goods from
  • Entities you purchased less than $600 from (except royalties; the limit there is $10)
  • Where you would normally have to send a 1099 but you made payment by a credit or debit card

Otherwise, you need to send a Form 1099-MISC to the vendor. The best way to check whether or not you need to send a 1099 to a vendor is to know this before you pay a vendor’s invoice. I tell my clients that they should have each vendor complete a Form W-9 before they pay the vendor. You can then enter the vendor’s taxpayer identification number into your accounting software (along with whether or not the vendor is exempt from 1099 reporting) on an ongoing basis.

Remember that besides the 1099 sent to the vendor, a copy goes to the IRS. If you file by paper, you likely do not have to file with your state tax agency (that’s definitely the case in California). However, if you file 1099s electronically with the IRS you most likely will also need to file them electronically with your state tax agency (again, that’s definitely the case in California). It’s a case where paper filing might be easier than electronic filing.

If you wish to file paper 1099s, you must order the forms from the IRS. The forms cannot be downloaded off the Internet. Make sure you also order Form 1096 from the IRS. This is a cover page used when submitting information returns (such as 1099s) to the IRS.

Note also that sole proprietors fall under the same rules for sending out 1099s. Let’s say you’re a professional gambler, and you have a poker coach that you paid $650 to last year. You must send him or her a Form 1099-MISC. Poker players who “swap” shares or have backers also fall under the 1099 filing requirement.

Remember, the deadline for submitting 1099-MISCs for “Nonemployee Compensation” (e.g. independent contractors) to the IRS is now at the end of January: Those 1099s must be filed by Wednesday, January 31st.

Here are the deadlines for 2017 information returns:

  • Wednesday, January 31st: Deadline for mailing most 1099s to recipients (postmark deadline);
  • Wednesday, January 31st: Deadline for submitting 1099-MISCs for Nonemployee Compensation to IRS;
  • Wednesday, February 28th: Deadline for filing other paper 1099s with the IRS (postmark deadline);
  • Thursday, March 15th: Deadline for mailing and filing Form 1042-S; and
  • Tuesday, April 2nd: Deadline for filing other 1099s electronically with the IRS.

Remember, if you are going to mail 1099s to the IRS send them certified mail, return receipt requested so that you have proof of the filing.

Posted in Information Returns, IRS | Comments Closed

It’s One 1099 Per Person, Or the Most Stupid and Hilarious Thing I’ve Seen in Some Time

Friday, September 29th, 2017

One of my clients, Barri Brown (all names in this post are fictitious), was missing a 1099 issued by one of the two large Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) companies. It didn’t show on her Wage & Income Transcript, so she called their accounting department and requested a copy. A few days later they emailed it to her. She forwarded it on to me and I entered it into her return.

And then I took a look at the pdf and saw that it was 18 pages long. I wondered what kind of attachments this company would send on a 1099? Perhaps a breakout of state tax issues (although that didn’t apply to my client). Or perhaps some internal accounting records detailing Ms. Brown’s profits and losses.

How about the 1099s for everyone this company serviced with the last name of Brown? The second page is that of Brett Brown, the third page is Daniel Brown, etc. At least only the last four digits of the social security numbers were shown (but both my client and I know the exact amount of Brett Brown’s DFS income from this site in 2016).

In one way, this is hilarious. Apparently it was easier for that clerk to email the 1099s for all the Browns to my client than to just send the specific 1099. (I have to wonder about how they create their 1099s, but that’s a question for another day.)

In another way, it’s stupid. Hasn’t this company heard of privacy concerns and laws? My client has every right to know her income, but absolutely no right to know Brett Brown’s income (unless Mr. Brown elects to tell one of us).

But my client asked a very good question. “That is HILARIOUS and absurd and maybe illegal?” I’m not an attorney, so I can’t state with certainty whether this was a violation of the law. The reality is that this was almost certainly a stupid error, and there wasn’t the intent to do something illegal.

(Tax professionals fall under the provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act. If a tax professional were to deliberately do this, it definitely could be a violation of the FTC Act.)

Unfortunately, the data breach at Equifax and this act of stupidity reinforce my belief that businesses need reminders to treat data security very seriously. My client used an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the DFS company; I strongly recommend that sole proprietors (like my client) do that whenever possible. A stolen EIN (for a sole proprietor) can’t be used to file a personal tax return.

Let me give a helpful hint to those issuing 1099s and sending them out: It’s one to a customer. Barri Brown doesn’t need Steven Brown’s 1099. Luckily for this company, my client is able to laugh this off (as am I). The problem is that if this happened to Ms. Brown, it likely happened to Mr. Nelson and others.

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Posted in Gambling, Information Returns | 1 Comment »